Electric system for railways.



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ELECTRIC SYSTEM FDR RAILWAYS.

(Application filed May 23. 1991.)

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No. 68|,293. Patented Aug. 27, l90l. D. S. BEBGIN.

ELECTRIC SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

(Application filed may 23- 1901.)

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No. 68!,293. Patnted Aug. 27, um. I

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ELECTRIC SYSTEM FDB RAILWAYS.

(Appheatiun filed m 23 1901) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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PATENT FFIQEQ DANIEL S. BERGIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 681,293, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed May 23, 1901- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL S. BERGIN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Systems for Railways, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure'l is a side view in elevation of a street-railway car, together with a longitudinal vertical sectional view-0t a conduit beneath the same for receiving the charged conductor and contact mechanism. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a conduit, together with my improved contact mechanism. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view in detail of my improved contact-carrier. Fig. 4 is a plan View in detail of a portion thereof, showing the vertically-hinged join ts. Fig. 5 is a plan view in section of the conduit, the same being taken upon the line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a railway-track, showing means for inserting thedepressor therein. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional View of a conduit, showinga modified construction, in which two charged conductors are employed, together with a modified form of con- .tact mechanism; and Fig. 8 shows the manner in which the charged conductors are arranged to cross each other.

Corresponding reference-numerals in the different figures indicate like parts.

My invention relates to underground-conduit systems for electric railways, and my object is to provide means whereby the charged conductor may be safely and securely protected, while contact therewith may be made through movable sections only, the same being automatically actuated by means of a traveling depressor. 1

To these ends my invention consists in the combination of elements hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, 1, Fig. 1, represents a street-railway car, the wheels 2 of which are mounted upon the usual rails, which are shown at 3 3 in Fig. 6. Beneath the railway-track is formed a conduit, consisting, preferably, of metal plates 4 4, supported by means of vertical posts 5 5, mounted upon blocks 6 6 Within the enlarged con- Serial No. 61,576. (No model.)

duit formed by the casing 4 is a secondary conduit inclosed by walls 7 7, having a capplate 8, Figs. 2, 3, and 5, which is bolted which third conduit is located a charged 0on doctor 10, mounted upon wood or other suitable insulating material. The bottom 11 of the second conduit forms,likewise,the bottom of the third and is provided with suitable openings therein to permit of drainage into a drain or subway 12. a

The roof-plates of the outer conduit are provided with flanges 13 13, which I designate as the slot-rails, between which is formed the usual open slot 14. The cover-plates 8 and 9 of the two inner conduits are provided with a series of coincident bores, preferably in substantial alinement with the slot 14, into which bores, respectively, are inserted a series of contact-studs 15 over the charged conductor 10. Each of said contact-studs preferably consists of a tube, through which is led an insulated electrical conductor 16, Fig. 2, one end of which is connected with a fiat spring contact-plate 17, Figs. 1 and 2, and the other to a horizontal contact-bar or rail-sec-- tion 18. Each of said studs is pivotally connected at its middle, as shown at 19, to one of the bars 18. The bars 18 are arranged alternately upon opposite sides of said studs and parallel with each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and are so placed as to overlap each other for the purpose hereinafter stated. Said bars are inclined downwardly in opposite directions toward the respective ends, and each is bent downwardly at the ends and provided with a slot 20, Fig. 3, which is arranged to receive a stop-pin 21, extending laterally from a bracket 22, bolted to but insulated from the top plate 8. Each of the studs 15 is rigidly attached to a cross-bar or yoke 23, in the respective ends of which are bores through which guide-pins 24, Fig. 2, are loosely inserted, said guide-pins being secured to the bottom of the conduit between the walls 7 and 9. Springs 25 25 are arranged to surround said pins and are interposed between the bottom of the conduit and the cross-bars and serve by their action to lift the latter, so as to hold the contact-plates 17 normally out of contact with the charged conductor 10, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Attached to the contact-studs and located upon opposite sides of plates 8 and 9, respectively, are washers or packing-rings 26 27, made of rubber, cork, or other suitable moistu re-resistin g material, which rings serve to close the openings in said plates against the passage of water whether said studs be raised or lowered.

Located mainly in the upper chamber of the main conduit is a traveling rail-depressor, the primary object of which is to depress the sectional contact-rails 18, so that said rails may be successively charged through the contact of the plates 17 with the conductor, a secondary object being to support and guide a traveling contact, as hereinafter described, which is adapted to act in conjunction with but independently of said rail -'depressor. Said rail-depressor consists of a main frame or member 28, having end sections 29, hinged or jointed thereto at 30 30, Fig. 4. To each of said end sections is rigidly attached a vertical bar 31, which is adapted to extend upwardly through the slot 14.

\Vheels 32 32 33 33 are mounted upon laterally-extended wrist-pins and are adapted to engage with the slot-rails 13, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one pair of wheels being above and the other below said slot-rails, so that said depressor maybe supported by and caused to sustain a fixed relation to said slotrails. Depending arms 34 35 are rigidly attached to said end sections, respectively, and are extended in opposite directions, each of said arms being provided with a depressingroller 36, of sufficient length to engage and depress both of the parallel rails 18 as it passes. In front of one and behind the other of said rollers is placed a brush 37, held in position by means of a rigid arm, as shown, the object of said brushes being to clean said rails, so that a satisfactory electrical connection may be made with the traveling contact. Brushes 38 38 are also attached to the arms 31 in the manner shown for cleaning the slotrails.

The parts 28 and 29 are preferably made from insulating material, so as to prevent the charge from the rails 18 from entering the bars 31. Extending loosely through a bore in the part 28 is a vertical rod 39, upon the lower end of which is placed a metal contact member, preferably in the form of a roller 40, similar in shape to the rollers 36, and which, like the rollers 36, is adapted to engage the contact-rails 18 successively. A spiral spring 41, interposed between the part 28 and a shoulder upon the rod 39, serves to depress the roller 40 into operative contact with the rails 18 independently of the action of the wheels 36. Insulating material 42,

Fig. 3, is placed upon the rod 39 to'shield it from contact with the slot-rails. The bars 31 of the contact-rail depressor of the car;

are detachably connected, by means of links 42 and hooks 43, as indicated in Fig. 1, to rings or staples secured at any suitable location upon the bottom of the car, but preferably beneath the end platform, as shown, said links providing for the vibratory movement The rod 39, which is the equivalent of the ordinary trolley-pole, is provided with a split at its upper end, adapted to receive a wedge 44, which wedge isjointedly connected with an insulated electrical conductor 45, leading to the top of the car and provided with a hook 46 for engaging the usual trolley-pole 47 and holding it down in the position shown. Said conductor leads to the usual motor 58, the return current from which is, by preference, dispersed through the track-rails in the ordinary manner.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a sliding plate or I trap-door 48, adapted to be operated by means of the usual lever49, the opening covered by said slide being sufficient to receive the traveling rail-depressor. A trap-door upon the platform of the car (indicated in dotted lines at 50, Fig. 1) enables said depressor to be lifted onto the car. The advantage of this construction is that where both the trolley and conduit systems are employed a change may be readily made from one to the other by securing the trolley-pole 47 and lowering the rail-depressor into the conduit in the manner described.

In Fig. 5 I have indicated the manner in which a crossing may be effected between intersectin g conduits. In that case a cross contact-rail section 51 is provided, so that that particular section may be depressed either by the depressor traversing the main line or by that on the cross-line, and in order to avoid short-circuiting the current the contact-stud in that section may either be dispensed with or made so short that it will not touch the main conductor when depressed.

In Fig. 8,52 and 53, respectively, show the manner in which cross-line conductors may be arranged to avoid conflict. y In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification of said invention, embodying two charged conductors 54 55 and a single bifurcated contact-stud 56, adapted to engage both.

Having thus described the various features of my invention, I will now explain its operation. The rail-depressing device being placed in the conduit, as described and shown in Fig. 1, the movement of the car causes the rail-depressing device to be drawn along so as to successively engage and depress the several rail-sections, thereby bringing the plates 17 successively into contact with the conductor, thus successively charging the rails 18 as they are depressed. The traveling contact 40 being pressed downwardly by the spring 41 against said rail, a current is conveyed through the rod 39 and the usual insulated conductor to the motor 58 and thence back to the track-rails.

It will be seen from the foregoing that while an even yielding" pressure is imparted to the traveling contact and while said contact is supported and moved forward by the action of the rail-depressor it is in a measure independent of the latter and performs no part in depressing the rails. On the other hand,said depressor,being in positive en gagement with the slot-rails by means of the upper and lower wheels 32 33, maintains a constant relation to the contact section-rails and cannot fail to move them the proper distance and no more, the action thereof being positive. Moreover, the jointed members 29 enable the depressors to conform to the sharpest curves, while the springs 57 57, Fig. 4, on the sides thereof tend to keep the parts 29 in a straight line when so required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a system of the class described, the combination with a main conduit, of an inner conduit, a charged conductor located within the latter, a series of movable contact-studs in operative proximity to, but normally out of contact with said conductor, a series of independent movable rail-sections for actuating said studs, a traveling depressor in positive engagement with the slot-rail for successively depressing said rail-sections, and a traveling contact supported by said depressor but having an independent vertical movement, substantially as described.

2. In a system of the class described, the combination with a main conduit of an inner conduit, a charged conductor located within said inner conduit, a series of vertically-movable contact-studs in operative proximity to, but normally out of contact with said conduetor, independent rail-sections located in the outer conduit for actuating said studs, said railsections being placed alternately upon opposite sides but parallel with the vertical plane of the conduit-slot, a traveling depressor having wheels for engaging the slotrails, said wheels being located above and below said slot-rails respectively, and a traveling contact supported by, but insulated from said depressor, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a main conduit, of

an inner conduit, a charged conductor therein, movable contact-studs in operative proximity to said conductor, means for normally holding said studs out of contact with said conductor, independent rail-sections in the outer conduit for actuating said studs, a traveling depressor having wheels for engaging the slot-rails,whereby a constant relation with said slot-rails is maintained, means for permitting said depressor to conform to the track curves, and a traveling contact supported by said rail-depressor, substantially as described.

4. In a system of the class described, the combination with the vertically-movable railsections, of a traveling depressor having front and rear wheels for depressing said rail-seetions, wheels above and below the slot-rails for engaging the latter, means for insulating said depressorwheels from said slot -rail wheels, and a traveling contact located between said depressor-wheels, substantially as specified.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with the outer and inner conduits of contact studs arranged to pass through the top plates of said conduits, said studs being provided with Washers of yield ing non-absorbent material located above and below said top plates, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described the combination of the movable rail-sections for causing contact with the charged conductor, of the depressor consisting of a main frame, end sections jointed thereto, the same being made in whole or in part of insulating material, members rigidly connected therewith provided with wheels for engaging the slotrails, and rollers for engaging said rail-sec tions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses,- this 20th day of May, 1901.

DANIEL S. BERGIN.

lVitnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, ROBERT OATHERWooD. 

